Growing in the small town of Lakeview, Amy Petersen (Meghan Markle, before she became a part of the Royal Family) helped her family run their fireworks store. She also fell in love with Hank (Christopher Jacot). But she left Hank and her family so that she could go to the big city and try to be a big time print journalist. Now, she’s dating Phil (Lochlyn Munro), who always wears a suit and likes to dine at exclusive French restaurants.
When her editor finds out that Amy is an expert in fireworks, he tells her to go back home for the 4th of July and to write a story about it. Amy’s family is struggling to keep the fireworks business going and when the town announces that it won’t be able to put on a fireworks show on the 4th, it looks like the business is going to close unless Amy can come up with a way to save the day. Amy has another reason for returning to Lakeview. Her best friend Sammie (Kristina Pesic) is getting married and Amy is going to the maid of honor! The only problem is that Sammie is marrying Hank and, as soon as she sees him, Amy starts to wonder if she made the right decision leaving home.
This is a Hallmark film so you already know everything that is going to happen. I watched this movie with my sisters and we spent the entire time wondering when they were finally going to get to the fireworks. It takes nearly the entire movie to reach the 4th and then it ends before the fireworks show even really got going. I was disappointed. I really wanted to watch the sky light up.
I know what you really want to know, though. How was the performance of the Duchess of Sussex? It’s hard to really Meghan Markle’s performance because Amy isn’t that likable of a character. It’s hard to really cheer for someone who would ruin their best friend’s wedding just because they dated the groom in high school. Everyone in the film is very forgiving of Amy, no matter how self-asborbed she is. Even Phil is strangely unbothered by her being in love with someone else. Almost the entire film is just Amy and Hank being the two most self-centered people in the world and no one holding it against them. As for Meghan Markle’s performance, the best description that I can come up with is boring.
I was disappointed with When Sparks Fly. At least I know that, later tonight, I’ll get to watch a full fireworks show.
Through the Shattered Lens 